Oral contraceptive in short supply

PHARMAC has today advised healthcare professionals that a combined oral contraceptive, Brevinor-1 28 Day, is in short supply due to manufacturing delays.  

Brevinor-1 28 Day (ethinyloestradiol 35 mcg with norethisterone 1 mg) is a funded combined oral contraceptive used by approximately 9,000 people in New Zealand. 

Pfizer, the supplier, has advised that its stock of Brevinor-1 28 Day is likely to run out this month and that it is expecting more stock to arrive in New Zealand by mid-October 2020. Some pharmacies may still have stock to fill prescriptions, but this will be limited and unevenly distributed across the country.

"We have worked closely with Pfizer to try to avoid this situation, including looking for an alternative brand, but it has not been possible to source a chemically equivalent medicine to bring into New Zealand.
We realise this short supply situation will be disruptive for some people and we encourage people taking Brevinor-1 28 Day, who need more supplies of this medicine, to go back to their prescriber to discuss an alternative contraceptive option."
- PHARMAC’s director of operations, Lisa Williams

Several alternative contraceptives are funded in New Zealand, including other oral contraceptives, barrier contraceptives and long-acting reversible contraceptives.

Keep up to date on supply issues on our website. If the situation changes with Brevinor-1 28 Day we will update health care professionals.

Check the latest supply issues on our site